Luka Doncic has become one of the great icons of world basketball. The Slovenian superstar left Europe and went to the NBA as an already established star in continental basketball, and in the best league in the world he has become one of the most decisive and differential players on the planet. He is also one of the most media-friendly since his signing last February by the Lakers.
It is not surprising that his participation in the Eurobasket, which starts next Wednesday, has aroused so much expectation. The former Real Madrid player, with an enviable physique after working hard this summer, will try to take Slovenia as far as possible, but regardless of whether that path is more or less long for them, no one doubts that his figure is the one that generates the greatest magnetism among fans, and also among the players he is going to face.
“Generational talent, killer, magician…”
This has been endorsed first-hand by FIBA itself, which has sought the opinion of some of the stars who will take part in the Eurobasket on the gigantic figure of Luka Doncic. He is an almost unstoppable player and his spell has also captivated his rivals, who consider him a generational talent, an assassin, a magician. “Luka is Luka,” says Latvian point guard Arturs Zagars. Without saying anything, he says almost everything.
Not all those interviewed on the subject were as brief as him. Mateusz Ponitka, star of the Polish national team, who overcame Luka Doncic’s Slovenia in the quarter-finals of the last European Championship (90-87), does not hide his admiration for the star. “He is a special player because he has everything, his intelligence and intuition are incredible. I talked to a friend and we came to the conclusion that this type of player like him is born once every 50 years,” he said.
Players like him are born once every 50 years
The Pole already played against Doncic during the Slovenian’s time at Real Madrid: “He was a very special kid. I remember him when he was younger in Madrid. It was amazing to see how he improved and how he developed his game, it was really fun to watch him. Luka is proving that he is special, he is one of the best every day, every tournament, every game. It’s very simple.”
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Los Angeles Clippers shooting guard, has already faced Doncic many times in the NBA and in games with his national teams and knows what the Slovenian is capable of in a game. The Serbian considers that he is practically unstoppable. “He can kill anyone in a tournament. He can get to 50 points, 60… I don’t know. That’s what makes him special,” he said.
Lucky to share the court with him
Furkan Korkmaz, a Turkish forward for Bahcesehir, played for the Sixers between 2017 and 2024, and in the NBA he had the opportunity to play many times against Doncic. “He’s a different guy, with different skills and a different mentality. I’ve played against him a lot and I feel lucky to have done so,” said the 28-year-old Turk, who is two years older than Luka. “Maybe in 10 years we can say, ‘Yeah, I played against him. He was that good’. We were lucky to have seen him play.”
Luka is a different guy, with different skills and a different mentality. I’ve played against him a lot and I feel lucky to have done so
Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic forward and Germany star, has suffered many times in the NBA and with his national team. “There are few players in the world as versatile and with that ability to control the offensive game that he has,” he said. “You can’t defend him with just one player. You try to make it difficult for him and play five against him, but sometimes that’s not enough. You have to be patient and take your hat off to some of the difficult plays he makes.”
His teammate in Germany, Andreas Obst, would love to know what’s going through Doncic’s mind: “He’s a magician in a way. He can score when he wants to. He also facilitates the game and makes incredible passes to his teammates. He reads the game amazingly well and makes it look very easy. It’s interesting to think about what goes through his mind to make it seem so easy. He scores a couple of baskets and suddenly he’s got 30 points,” says Obst.
“There are few players in the world as versatile and with that ability to control the offensive game that he has
Another of the Eurobasket stars who knows him well is Nicolo Melli. The Italian power forward coincided with Doncic at the Mavericks when in 2021 he was traded by the Pelicans to Dallas, where he played 23 games before returning to Europe. He has played with him and against him with Italy. “I have been unlucky enough to play against Luka with club and national team. He made it very difficult for us, and for me too. I think he’s special because of his talent. I played with him in Dallas and I’ve seen him behind the scenes in training.”
The Italian basketball legend knows what Doncic is capable of: “I’ve seen what happens with those hands and the touch he has. And he’s also a great teammate,” says Melli. “What happens with Luka is that what for other players would be unreal, for him is routine. Being close to him, you understand the level of talent he possesses. Every day it was a trick shot or something never seen before.”
What happens with Luka is that what would be unreal for other players is routine for him
Tyler Dorsey, an American shooting guard who was naturalized Greek, played with him during his brief stint with the Mavericks in 2022, long enough to be amazed by his style of play. “When I was in Dallas I could see him up close. His pace and the way he uses his body are amazing. Those two things were what struck me most about him when I was there and what makes him so special,” explained the Greek.
His rhythm and the way he uses his body are amazing. Those two things were what struck me most about him when I played with him and what makes him so special
Veteran Sasu Salin, a Finland guard, faced Doncic many times during his years in Spain with Gran Canaria and Unicaja, and also competed with him in the national team. Enough to assess the superpowers of the Slovenian star.
Luka is unique. He is not the fastest or the strongest, but his mind works so well that his body does exactly what he wants. With this ability, he is incredibly skillful
“Luka is unique. He has an incredible ability to control the pace on the court. He is not the fastest or the strongest, but his mind works so well that his body does exactly what he wants. With that ability, he is incredible on the court. He is incredibly skilled,” says Salin.
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